What Is Democratic Socialism? Essay

1731 words - 7 pages

What Is Democratic Socialism?
Democratic Socialists believe that the economy and society should be run democratically - to meet the needs of the whole community, not to make profits for a few. To achieve a more just society, many structures of our government and economy must be trasnsformed to through greater economic and social democracy so that ordinary Americans can participate in the decisions that affect our lives.
Democracy and socialism go hand in hand. All over the world, wherever the idea of democracy has taken root, the vision of socialism has taken root as well- everywhere but in the United States. Because of this, many false ideas about socialism have developed in the U.S. With ...view middle of the document...

These tasks would be spread among as many people as possible- rather than distributed on the basis of class, race, ethnicity, or gender, as they are under capitalism. We believe that a combination of social, economic, and moral incentives will motivate people to work.
Hasn't socialism been discredited by the triumph of capitalism and the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe?
Socialists have been among the harshest critics of the anti-democratic, highly centralized societies and economies of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Just because the bureaucratic elites called their systems 'socialist' did not make it so; they also called their regimes 'democratic'. We applaude the authentic democratic revolutions that have transformed the former communist bloc. We also expect that the social democratic parties that are re-emerging in Eastern Europe will be essential in the struggle to protect workers rights, to ensure equality for women, and to promote social justice for all. The improvement of people's lives requires economic growth and real democracy, without ethnic rivaltries and/or new forms of authoritarianism. Democratic socialists will continue to play a key role in that struggle throughout the world.
Can half the world be turned upside down while the U.S. continues in the rut of Cold War thinking? We say no; the fall of communism should not blind us to injustices at home. Nor should we allow all reform to be dismissed as 'communistic.' That suppression of dissent and difersity undermines America's ability to prosper in a radically new world, a world in which the most successful countries promote social justice and combine market economies with a strong role for democratic government.
• Isn't socialism unpatriotic, un-American?
America has been blessed with abundant natural resources, and a skilled, innovative workforce. We recognize that we have significant political liberties and individual freedoms. Our standard of living is higher than that of many other nations.
We believe, however, that this country can do better. Over the generations, socialists have played a key role in the fights for the reforms that our nation points to with pride. It is through the struggles of working people, women, and people of color that vital democratic reforms such as the forty-hour week, increases in the minimum wage, unemployment insurance, and Social Security have been won. Much, however, remains to be done before people take control over their own destinies, and before our wealth is used to ensure that everyone has access to such basic necessities as food, housing, education, and health care.
Other countries show us that you can strive for both prosperity and social justice. We must do better.
• Why are there no models of democratic socialism?
Although no country has fully instituted democratic socialism, the democratic socialist, social democratic, and labor movements of other countries have won many victories we can...

Other Papers Like What Is Democratic Socialism?

290 words - 2 pages
Nina Mahan
Sociology
11-20-2013
Defining Capitalism and comparing Capitalism to Socialism
Capitalism is an economic system in which natural resources and the means of producing goods and services are privately owned. Capitalism and Socialism are both economic systems and are used in different societies throughout the world. Even though both of these systems are implemented, they do

561 words - 3 pages
Socialism is an economic system where the means of production, such as money and other forms of capital, are owned by the state or public. Under a socialist system, everyone works for wealth that is, in turn, distributed to everyone. Under capitalism, you work for your own wealth. A socialist economic system operates on the premise that what is good for one is good for all. Everyone works for their own good and the good of everyone else. The

942 words - 4 pages
. Being the poorest country in Europe it is being proposed that rejuvenating of communism could save Moldova. This is also said for a number of other countries in the region. Ukraine, Romania, Russia, and Belarus particularly are still behind in development. Leaders are suggesting a turn back to socialism could help the nations. One can only wait and see what the leadership and economic development will lay out. “EastBook” New President of Moldova

1110 words - 5 pages
only the police state to maintain order. Also, there is no way to calculate the value (prices) of raw materials, capital goods, consumer goods, and labor, according to the great economist, Ludwig von Mises.. Prices are determined properly by markets, i.e., supply and demand, and the resulting sale which sets the price, and since Pure Socialism cannot determine what to pay for things, and how to pay for labor, it is determined by fiat by a central

710 words - 3 pages
determine how many items will be produced, the cost, what factories will make them, and where the product is going to be sold; and there is no motive for making a profit. Socialism is designed to eliminate competition and there goal is produce goods for the general welfare, and to distribute according to needs. Capitalism is focused on how much people are willing to pay.
Some criticisms opposed to by each of the groups are, Capitalists believe that

676 words - 3 pages
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Explain the difference between market capitalism, centrally planned capitalism, centrally planned socialism, and market socialism. Give an example of a country that illustrates each type of system.
Market capitalism is an economic system in which individuals and firms allocate resources and production resources are privately owned. Consumers decide what goods they desire and firms determine what and how much to

2183 words - 9 pages
start analyzing my paper, I would like to define what is the individual level of analysis, and how was created. Between all the definitions that I founded, I accepted some of them that seemed most important. Robert Bellah (1985) in his book defined individualism as “viewing one's primary task as 'finding oneself' in autonomous self reliance, separating oneself not only from one’s parent's but also from those larger communities and traditions that

1216 words - 5 pages
hero of near-perfection, Shakespeare is able to heighten the viewpoint of the republic as being righteous, thus reflecting Shakespeareâ€™s renaissance humanist context that attempted on reviving vanishing democratic ideals since the middle ages. However, to ensure the playâ€™s relevance to the Elizabethan audience who believed in the Chain of Being, Shakespeare depicts the interplay between Brutus and Cassius as an opposite to what Elizabethans

571 words - 3 pages
idea of a socialism economic system is for the government to be involved in protecting the environment and providing for the poor, which is what is needed when a natural disaster occurs.
The earthquake that occurred in Haiti in January 2010 is a prime example of a devastating disaster that occurred, in which the socialism economic system would be the best fit choice. This is because the need for a particular business can be widely focused on

2317 words - 10 pages
changes to capitalism until it one day becomes socialism. Miliband clearly believed, and even more so in recent years, that socialism is an objective that cannot be achieved in a single life-time. It is very difficult to read Milibands works and reject the socialist perspective. Miliband is unambiguously committed to true democratic socialism. Without restraint, he conceded the inadequacies of traditional socialism in confronting the questions of

1475 words - 6 pages
making money. In reality they will just add to the ever growing population of the poor classes.
In a Capitalist society the rich get richer and the poor stay poor. In the end this will lead to great unrest and low morale in the society.
Socialism
Socialism or Communism is the result of a planned economy. In this type of economy all the resources are owned by the state, and wealth is divided equally.
The state will plan what is

3112 words - 13 pages
socialism can be made step by step within the framework of the democratic forms of the capitalist state. Socialism is primarily an economic system so it exists in varying degrees and forms in a wide variety of political systems.
On the other hand, communists believe that as soon as the working class and its allies are in a position to do so they must make a basic change in the character of the state; they must replace capitalist dictatorship over the

512 words - 3 pages
the main reasons Marxism did not fair too well or even last.
2. Which is a more Christian form of government, democratic capitalism or democratic socialism?
Democratic Socialism of late has been the more favored form of government. Democratic Socialism stands by the poor and does not blame them for their situation. Its goal is to protect the working class and weaken the power of large corporations. It aims to decrease the influence money